Edgar tabbert



(VN-0 Modell) E. TAB'BBRT.

INDICATOR.

No. 506,835. Patented 001;."17, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR TABBERT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IINDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,835, dated October 17, 1893. Application iiled December 13,1892. Serial No, 455,002. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR TABBEET, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indicators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in indicators, adapted more especially for use in Sunday schools for the purpose of indicating to the congregation the next hymn or topic, or for giving such other information as may be desired. This has usually been accomplished by means of a blackboard, the proper official of the Sunday school writing thereon with chalk such information as it is desired to impart to the scholars.

The object of my invention is to dispense with the chalk and blackboard, and to provide a horizontal rack, which may be secured to or suspended upon a wall, having a groove in its upper edge which is adapted to receive removable and interchangeable letters and numerals, whereby dierent combinations may be made to impart the desired information.

The invention consistsin the novel construction hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure'l is a front elevation of a portion of the rack. showing it in place. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line -0c, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the rack. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a letter and the block to which it is secured.

In the said drawings, the reference nu meral l designates the rack consisting of a strip of wood or other suitable material adapted to be secured to or suspended horizontally upon a wall of a hall or room. Upon -the upper side this strip is formed with a groove 2, and upon its rear side, near the upper edge, may

be formed a narrow curved or rounded semi- Y circular groove 3, and if desired, the front of the rack may be ornamented in any suitable manner, so as to present a neat and attractive appearance.

The numeral 4 donetes a block having a rearwardly extending horizontal flange 5, to

which is secured a letter or numeral 6, or such other character as may be found useful. These letters are made of spring sheet-metal cut out into the required shape, and their lower edges may be provided with extensions 7, having heads or corrugations 8 near their lower ends corresponding in shape with the groove 3, with which they engage. There should be enough of these blocks and the letters to answer all requirements, and in practice, the blocks are inserted in the groove in the rack in such order as to spell the name of the hymn or topic, or such other information desired. The flange 5, of the block rests upon the rear upper edge of the rack, and the heads of the extensions 7, engage with the groove 3, thus aiding in holding the letter in a vertical position and preventing wobbling of the same. These blocks and letters can be easily removed and replaced in the rack, so that their positions can be changed to make different combinations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- In an indicator, such substantially as described, the combination with the rack provided with a horizontal groove on its upper side, and a curved or rounded horizontal groove on its rear side, of the block havinga rearwardly extending horizontal ange, and a spring-metal letter or other character secured thereto, provided with an extension at its lower edge, having a head or corrugation near its lower end adapted to engage with the curved groove in the rear side of the rack, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR TABBERT.

Witnesses:

BENNETT S. JONES, AUGUST PETERSON. 

